Be specific when you ask for a review
Have you ever sent a document for review, and it came back as a bloodbath of track changes? O horror, horror, horror!
Or did you get an unhelpfully short "It's fine"? (Did they even read it?!)
These things happen because you think 'review' means the same thing to your workmate as it does to you.
The solution?
Tell your reviewer exactly what you want.
Telling your parents what you wanted for your birthday may not have got you the bunny you wanted, but telling them was a good idea. Even as a kid, you knew your parents weren't mind readers.
Your workmates aren't mind readers either.
But they want to be helpful, so make it easy for them to be helpful.
Four examples
Could you please give me your opinion on whether this media statement is likely to cause any problems for your team? Please add comments (not track changes) in the document for me.
Could you please check the layout and correctness of my letter? It's the first time I've written a ministerial letter, and I'm not sure of the proper formatting. I also might have left some mistakes in. Can you please use track changes so I can learn from you (and don't have to bother you again!)?
Could you please tell me whether you think this paper will answer all the ELT's questions? I know I'm details-oriented and often put in too much info. This time, I cut it right back – and now I'm worried I've gone too far! You don't need to write in the document. Please just email me your thoughts.
I would love a quick edit on the third section. I'm happy with the rest of the report, but section 3 isn't good. It feels disjointed and I can't work out why. Could you please use track changes and rewrite that section?
Say how you want to receive it
In the examples above, I ask for track changes, or comments, or an email message.
Your reviewer might choose to do what you ask, or they might do what they're more used to doing.
But at least they know what you want. You've done your bit.
Add a deadline
The eternal question is "by when?" Tell them.
Want a formula when asking for a review?
Tell your reviewer:
what you want them to do
how you want to receive it
by when.
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